Occupied wheelchair contacting passing train - update

[whole diary]

[ChrisB]

Looks as though we missed this. From the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) website

Investigation into an occupied wheelchair coming into multiple contacts with a passing train at Twyford station, 7 April 2016

At around 10:52 hrs on 7 April 2016, a wheelchair occupied by a teenage girl moved towards the edge of platform 4 of Twyford station and into multiple glancing contacts with wagons of a passing freight train. The last contact pushed the wheelchair clear of the platform edge. The girl suffered a minor injury to her foot.

Prior to the accident, the wheelchair was stationary, behind the yellow line painted on the platform and facing parallel to the tracks. It was positioned next to the girl’s mother, who has stated that she had applied the brakes on the wheelchair.

Our investigation has been looking into:
•the sequence of events which led to the accident
•how the wheelchair moved into contact with the train, including any effects of wind turbulence generated by the passage of the train
•previous research into such aerodynamic issues
•any relevant underlying factors.

During August 2016 we commissioned testing at Twyford station to measure the velocity of slipstreams generated by passing freight trains similar to that involved in the incident. Preliminary analysis of the test results suggests that the slipstream at the time of the incident could have been sufficient to move the wheelchair with the parking brake partially applied; the likely degree of brake application is subject to further analysis.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or the Office of Rail and Road     (ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about)).

We will publish our findings, including any safety recommendations at the conclusion of our investigation; these will be available on our website.

The problem here is that it is unknown just how far the wheelchair brakes were applied

[Bmblbzzz]

What strikes me as curious about this incident is that the girl's mother, standing next to her daughter in the wheelchair, did not grab hold of the wheelchair and stop it rolling or being dragged any closer to the platform edge; or that if she did, the slipstream of the passing train was so strong she was unable to prevent it.

[Adelante_CCT]

What strikes me as curious.....

Thought it was the wheelchair being struck? 

[Tim]

The problem here is that it is unknown just how far the wheelchair brakes were applied

Exactly.  This is an interesting issue dealing as it does with the interface between the railway and what might be termed "non-railway equipment".  Forgive my ignorance of wheelchair brakes but does "partially applied" mean incorrectly applied (by analogy with a car driver who partially applies the handbrake because he/she hasn't done the brake application properly) or is the ability to have partial application a deliberate feature of wheelchair brakes (ie to slow a user going down a hill)?. 

In short, is this a user issue (she should have applied brakes fully and didn't) , a design issue with wheelchairs (ie fully applying the brake should be easier) or a design issue with the railway (ie yellow lines in wrong place).

[stuving]

In short, is this a user issue (she should have applied brakes fully and didn't) , a design issue with wheelchairs (ie fully applying the brake should be easier) or a design issue with the railway (ie yellow lines in wrong place).

Or any combination of the above?

[chrisr_75]

The problem here is that it is unknown just how far the wheelchair brakes were applied

or a design issue with the railway (ie yellow lines in wrong place).

I suspect the potential design issue with the railway that RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) will look at is much more likely to be if the platform slopes towards the rails rather than positioning of the yellow lines.

[Tim]

I suspect the potential design issue with the railway that RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) will look at is much more likely to be if the platform slopes towards the rails rather than positioning of the yellow lines.

Absolutely.  It is my understanding that the design standards require platforms to slope back away from the edge, but that not all existing platforms may meet that standard.  It upgrades are deemed necessary they will be expensive, but I guess a sensible scheme would be to prioritise those with greater line speed and therefore more turbulence.  And in the meantime, still more signs and safety messages...

[CyclingSid]

I note that the RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) report has been published:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/report-012017-wheelchair-contacting-a-train-at-twyford-station

[SandTEngineer]

And in the meantime, still more signs and safety messages...

I think thats a bit of an unfair assessment.  The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) report clearly states that there are too many announcements of passing trains and that the number should be reduced to make them more relevant.

[plymothian]

Yet a lot of platforms here in Devon have now had warnings stencilled on to the platform and/or signs erected.

[Electric train]

And in the meantime, still more signs and safety messages...

I think thats a bit of an unfair assessment.  The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) report clearly states that there are too many announcements of passing trains and that the number should be reduced to make them more relevant.

I agree, there is a tendency for people to filter out the regular and monotonous metal micky announcement, how to make them more relevant at stations with many through trains is a challenging one.

There is also a little bit of education and advise to passengers in wheel chairs, with push chairs and large luggage to remain even further back from the platform edge than the yellow line.

[SandTEngineer]

And in the meantime, still more signs and safety messages...

I think thats a bit of an unfair assessment.  The RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) report clearly states that there are too many announcements of passing trains and that the number should be reduced to make them more relevant.

I agree, there is a tendency for people to filter out the regular and monotonous metal micky announcement, how to make them more relevant at stations with many through trains is a challenging one.

There is also a little bit of education and advise to passengers in wheel chairs, with push chairs and large luggage to remain even further back from the platform edge than the yellow line.

Perhaps we need an additional 'thin blue line'.....

I'll get my hat and coat...

[Bmblbzzz]

Being further back than the yellow line is a point worth making. I remember waiting at Cam & Dursley with two bikes while an HST^▸ (High Speed Train) passed through. The outermost of the two bikes was a couple of centimetres behind the yellow line, parallel to the platform edge, resting on a kickstand and the way it rocked in the slipstream was quite... informative.

[froome]

Am I right in assuming that all platforms would originally have been built to slope towards the rail lines to ensure rainfall run-off heads that way? Or at least, where they are backed by buildings or walls. In which case, on HST^▸ (High Speed Train) lines, this is a major issue, and does need some urgent educational work for the public who wouldn't otherwise consider it unless they are regular users (and even then may not, given the many other distractions they will face). Perhaps a second 'HST line' marked further back does make sense?

[Bmblbzzz]

A second line would be confusing. Surely the purpose of the yellow line is to show where you (and your luggage etc) should be when a "fast" train passes. I'm sure somewhere in this thread is an official quote saying the line has to be painted on all platforms which are passed by passenger trains at 100mph or more or goods trains at 60mph or more, so it is an "HST^▸ (High Speed Train) line". If it's too close, then rather than a second line, it would be more effective to repaint it slightly further back. But note that in my example above, nothing happened. A bike rocked a bit. It did not get dragged towards the train, it did not fall over. It merely made me think a bit! So I think that on modern platforms, like CDU^▸ (Cab Display Unit), the line is in the right place. On older platforms which slope towards the tracks, painting the line further back might be a good interim measure pending eventual rebuilding of platforms (with the obvious risk that "interim" becomes permanent by default; OTOH^▸ (On The Other Hand) these incidents do not seem common so there are probably higher safety priorities).